


Bad End

by fineinthemorning



Category: B-PROJECT 鼓動＊アンビシャス | B-PROJECT: Kodou Ambitious
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Betrayal, Canon Rewrite, Family Issues, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Idols, Lies, Mystery, Possible Character Death, Speculation, Suspense, Undecided ending, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:22:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8128475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineinthemorning/pseuds/fineinthemorning
Summary: They played the parts in his plot for revenge, but before the climax, they realize the one who truly strived to make their dreams a reality. As they move forward together with Sumisora Tsubasa, just what will Yashamaru do to ensure that his decade's old betrayal is met with the proper vengeance?A canceled concert, a missed rehearsal, and a stolen song are child's play in comparison to what comes next.Will B-Project survive the tragedies before them, or will they with scandal and end up betraying one another?





	1. Suspicion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jeejaschocolate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeejaschocolate/gifts), [LuketheAuthor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuketheAuthor/gifts), [Juudals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juudals/gifts).



> I wanted more out of the last episode. There was a lot that went unsaid. I think these b-pro boys are smarter than Yashamaru gave them credit for, so I'm going to be exploring that. This scene was inspired by the few seconds during the last episode where these three are seated around a table looking at papers together.
> 
> Also, this is for you guys who are helping the fandom grow with your works, and for those of you reading, too!

“Goushi, you’re awake?” Tomohisa was at the table in the lavish hotel room that Highedge Records had put them in under Yashamura’s watchful eye. In front of him, he had the whole contact that had been developed for each of them to sign spread out in stacks. It was nearly two hundred pages of text, and though he had been reading it over since the others had gone to bed nearly two hours ago, he felt as if he’d made little progress. It was cryptic, and he couldn't help but feel like some of it was far too good to be true.

The Thrive member put a hand behind his head and yawned as he scratched at an itch, “I can’t sleep well in this place.” He walked over to the table and stood behind a chair to look over at what was holding Kitakado’s interest so late at night, “What are you looking at?”

“The Highedge contract.” Tomohisa moved the chair beside him to offer that Goushi join him, and the other did so wordlessly seating himself and picking up the first page of the contract to glance over.

“It doesn’t sit well with you either then?” Kazuna appeared from one of the bedrooms he shared with Momotarou and Mikado. His eyes narrowed when he saw the papers spread out across the table; he looked very serious for someone who may have just woken up.

“Kazuna?” Tomohisa shot a look of concern in his direction as he watched the other walk around the table to sit opposite of Goushi. Kazuna only met his concern with a thoughtful nod and the smallest of smiles.

“Well, that makes three of us.” Goushi stretched and set the first page of the contract in front of Kazuna before continuing, “Kitakore, Moons, and Thrive- they depend on each of us. This Highedge stuff doesn’t flesh out. Something’s going on.” It was probably the real reason he couldn’t sleep. None of what had happened recently seemed to quite make sense. It was crazy but too simple. Gandara Music creating obstacles for their own signed musicians may have been an easy feat for them regarding their power and ability to do so, but why? Why would Gandara music actually sign them in the first place if they planned on getting rid of them later? Yashamaru's quick and airy explanation had left too many questions and any attempt they had made over the last three days, which was honestly far less than would have been a healthy amount, had been met with Yashamaru just waving them off as being something he was 'taking care of' or 'looking in to'.

Kazuna’s face softened somewhat. He was clearly concerned and a bit impressed that Goushi was cleverly putting together the same pieces he was. He expected it from Tomohisa, but he was glad that Kaneshiro was actually here putting two-and-two together as well. “I think so, too, but . . .”

Tomohisa, following Kazuna’s line of thinking, finished for him, “It means distrusting Yashumaru-san.”

“Exactly.” Masunaga confirmed. "He has always been there for us. This wouldn’t be out of the ordinary . . . him standing up for us."

“But his recent behavior has been,” Goushi pointed out quickly, “He’s been weird and distant.”

“That’s true,” the Moons’s leader agreed.

“When Tsubasa became the new A&R, something changed,” Tomohisa laced his fingers together, and, elbows on the table, his lips hid behind his hands. He had the pieces there in front of him, but the puzzle was too complicated to put together on his own.

“Like what?” Kazuna hadn’t noticed it exactly. He liked her well enough, but he saw her presence more as an overall benefit than a personal one, so he had thus far kept her at a distance.

“I don’t know exactly, but . . . this is our third evening here.” Tomohisa’s voice grew quieter, “There is clearly something going on.”

Goushi nodded, his voice matching Kitakado’s, “I tried to leave earlier.”

Kazuna stiffened, “What? You did?” No one had tried to go anywhere other than the places specified by Yashamaru their first night there.

“Yeah, but there were two, I don’t know- I guess _security officers_ outside. They wouldn’t let me leave.” Goushi clearly wasn’t happy about it, but it was clear that it had been no huge inconvenience. As Yashamaru had said, they had everything they needed here. Apparently, everything but _freedom_.

“Seriously?” Kazuna looked as if he had been personally affected by Goushi’s experience. It confirmed his suspicions for one thing- towards Highedge and Yashamaru.

“Have you found anything in the contract?” Goushi asked while crossing his arms.

“Not exactly. It’s long. Complicated. Far more detailed than Gandara’s . . .” Tomohisa trailed off. He wasn’t feeling confident at the moment, which was rather rare for him, but he did his best not to let it show. He had more experience than any of them, and though Aizome was the eldest, he felt like he held the most responsibility in the group. He had to make sense of everything and quickly for everyone's sake.

Kazuna noticed that his friend’s light had dimmed somewhat, and, in an effort to encourage him, he pointed out that this was no easy task, “That’s to be expected from a company like Highedge though; they’re one of the top four labels internationally.”

“I’m only twenty pages in,” Tomohisa admitted.

“Let us help,” Kazuna offered, a gentle smile forming on his lips.

Goushi smiled encouragingly as well. They needed to do this together.

Tomohisa relaxed and nodded, “Yes, thank you.”

As long as B-Project remained together and trusted each other, they would be able to overcome any challenge; he was certain.


	2. Like Minded

“Tomo?” 

The lights were off. In the room Kitakore had been given there were two beds separated only by a nightstand about a meter long. Despite the intimacies they shared in the comfort of their own apartment back home, they slept in the separate beds here. It had been an unspoken agreement; they needed to be careful. Their relationship had taken a different turn a few months into joining B-project- one that they had spent the last eight of nine months settling into. At times, it was more difficult to keep it hidden. They were professionals, however, and they put their work before anything else, so they had thus far been successful in keeping such a private matter entirely separate from B-Project or even Kitakore for that matter.

“Yes, Ryuuji?” Tomo could hear the concern in Ryuuji’s voice; he didn’t have to see his face through the darkness to know.

“Yashamaru-san . . . did you see him . . . his _ eyes _ when he told us that the Japan Dome concert was cancelled?” Ryuuji spoke carefully, emphasizing that even if Tomo hadn’t seen it, he _ had _ , and it was something he needed to discuss with him  _ now _ .

Tomohisa turned the dim night light on between their beds, pulled back the covers, and invited Ryuuji to come closer. 

Ryuuji sat up and tilted his head thoughtfully to the side, “It’s okay?”

“Come here,” Tomohisa insisted with a small smile.

Ryuuji, showing how paranoid he was himself, turned off the light first. Then, he moved into the other bed beneath the covers beside Tomo, took a deep breath, and released it slowly as he relaxed against his lover’s chest tucking his head beneath his chin.

Tomohisa spoke quietly into his ear, barely a whisper, “You’re worried, aren’t you?”

Ryuuji nodded twice.

“Do you believe it? That Tsubasa-san would run away?” Tomohisa still spoke softly, partly paranoid by this point that their room was bugged.

Ryuuji thought back on the past year they had spent with Tsubasa Sumisora. She had started out clueless and awkward, but even after that first recording session, he’d gained respect for her. There had been many times when she’d failed. The time for the rehearsal for the live. The coffee. A few other things as well, but . . . No matter what, she’d never given up. She’d become nervous or concerned, possibly even discouraged, but she’d never wallowed in self-pity or despair; she’d figure out a solution and then exact it right away. For that, he respected her ten-fold. Being the A&R for, technically, four different bands was incredibly demanding, but she’d never, not once, given up.

Ryuuji shook his head ‘no’ and moved closer to Tomohisa in an attempt to be enveloped in his scent. By admitting that, he was also admitting that he felt Yashamaru was outright lying to them.

“Handing Yashamaru-san our lyrics- that was a test,” Tomohisa admitted softly.

“He failed it,” Ryuuji replied bluntly.

“He did,” Tomohisa agreed, smiling at how honest Ryuuji could be at times.

“We can’t sign. Something is off. He doesn’t even believe in us- our abilities. It’s about something else for him now, but I . . . I shouldn’t say things I can’t explain.” His voice wandered off into silence as he continued. He didn’t want to sound like he was accusing Yashamaru, because he truthfully didn’t know what possible motive Yashamaru could have against them. He had worked so hard for their success for so many years; it just didn’t make sense that he would destroy any part of that himself.

Tomohisa moved to kiss the other’s forehead once, “We should talk to the others.”

“Do you think that they would agree?” Ryuuji felt skeptical.

“ _ I know they will _ ,” Tomohisa lifted Ryuuji’s chin enough so that their lips could meet. Ryuuji met the kiss with surprise but followed it quickly after with passionate desperation. His hands moved around Tomohisa’s chest to seek comfort in his embrace and Tomohisa stroked his hair and drew circles on his back to calm him down.

When they parted, Ryuuji kissed his partner once more on the corner of his lips, “Thank you for being B-Pro’s leader.”

“Leader? Me?”

Ryuuji giggled in response and nipped playfully at his bottom lip, “Don’t pretend you aren’t.”

 

Less than ten minutes later, Kitakore was knocking softly on the door to the room in which Kazuna, Mikado, and Momotarou were resting. To their surprise, Kazuna opened the door and pulled them in quickly. All of Moons and Thrive were already inside. The lighting was low within the room- just enough to read a book while lying in bed but nothing more. 

Aizome spoke first as Kitakado and Korekuni went to sit on a bed with Kazuna and Goushi, “Tsubasa-san would never run away from anything.” 

A few of the others nodded.

“This place is a prison,” Ryuuji brought up next.

Kazuna brought up the real issue, “He took our lyrics and didn’t even read them. He doesn’t even believe we can write lyrics. I honestly don’t trust him to have them. That’s how I feel.”

Tomohisa put a hand on his shoulder encouragingly, “I feel the same way, Kazu.”

Kazuna blushed lightly and looked away. Tomohisa gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance and let go.

“We couldn’t exactly find anything last night in the Highedge contract other than it being more strict, but that’s kind of to be expected from the label,” Goushi offered.

“You read the whole thing?” Yuuta exclaimed, surprised, “It’s 200 pages!”

“Oi, quiet down,” Goushi reprimanded him before explaining, “Kitakado, Massu, and I read it last night.”

“You three were already suspicious of everything yesterday,” Momotarou confirmed, thoughtful.

“This all actually reminds me of episode 16 of the the second season of Magical Girl Mamirin when she is betrayed by her long-time mentor Magical Maid Momoko,” Mikado offered.

Momotarou smiled, “We’ll take your word for it.”

“We are all feeling the same way then . . . ?” Nome asked quietly, “About Yashamaru-san?”

Hikaru looked more tired than the rest of them and he couldn’t quite bring himself to smile when he spoke, his voice clear in despair, “Our rehearsal for the live at Tokyo Dome would have been tomorrow. I wish we could just go and at least see what it would have been like. Our fans must be so disappointed.” 

There was a silent agreement that was broken only when Tomohisa spoke, “We can.”

“What do you mean?” Kazuna waited, hanging on the other’s every word.

“If it is possible that Yashamaru-san is lying to us about Tsubasa, then the same can be said of the concert,” the white-haired idol clarified.

Kento spoke up again, “I think it’s more than possible. Even if we haven't spoken to her in four days, she wouldn’t give up on us.”

“I agree,” Ryuuji offered with a smile.

The others began to again voice their agreement.

Kitakado needed a final answer from all of them. It was all or nothing. “So that’s it then . . . we won’t sign the Highedge contract even though there is a possibility Yashamaru-san is telling the truth?”

Ryuuji spoke then, “You know as well as all of us he is not.”

Hikaru chimed in, “It’s true, Kita-kun. It was in your eyes when he said he wanted B-Pro’s music to move the world. You knew he was lying.” 

Still, Tomohisa asked a final time, “ . . . It’s agreed then?”

Nome pointed out then, “Those few months in which Yashamaru-san was gone; we were most successful then.”

Yuuta spoke next, “Even when he was here and there was trouble- even recently- we still were able to overcome everything.”

“With Tsubasa-chan,” Hikaru was quick to point out.

“Yes, with Tsubasa-chan,” Mikado agreed.

“As long as we all remain together and united, I don’t think we’ll make the wrong choice,” Kitakado said gently.

“I agree,” Momotarou smiled.

Kazuna clarified, “Then we’ll do this together. Tomorrow, at the conference, we’ll announce that we won’t sign. We’ll return to Gandara Music.”

“And to Tsubasa-san,” Aizome smiled gently.

Soon after, they all said their good nights and returned to their rooms. 

 

Ryuuji was careful to return once again to his own bed.

“They were all thinking it,” he said, relieved that it hadn’t been Kitakore against the rest of B-Pro.

“Because we all want what is best for B-Pro,” Tomo said before closing his eyes.

“Goodnight, Tomo.”

“Goodnight, Ryuuji.”


	3. Demons

Empty. Lifeless. A world in monochrome. Her life had revolved around the ten men who gave her strength and hope and confidence beyond anything she’d ever even hoped of having in her life, and now they were gone. She’d never lied to them, _not once_ , about their impact on others. She genuinely felt that through their music, she was able to accomplish more both in her work and otherwise. She was able to grow as a person and she felt herself becoming the person she had always wanted to be as she strived to make them successful as B-Project. So when they disappeared to Highedge, she couldn’t simply let them go.

“Sumisora-san, B-Project is with another label. Why are you still making arrangements for the concert?”

“You’re no longer their A&R, right? Didn’t they sign to a new company?”

“The B-Pro concert? It’s not cancelled?”

Since they had disappeared, Tsubasa had continually been met with doubts as she carried on her job as B-Project’s A&R. The sound crew. The makeup artists. The venue management. Everyone was questioning her as to whether or not the concert would actually happen, because not only was she no longer working with them, but all accounts would then be transferred to the new company, and they had already taken in payments from Gandara.

“The concert will go on as planned. Please prepare for the rehearsal,” she bowed as part of her request, a deep bow that was quite a rare sight to see from anyone nowadays. Many of the people she spoke to were doubtful of her words, but none of them questioned her own belief in the band members. Their ex-A&R was convinced the band, B-Project, would be there to play. The preparations went on as planned.

It had been a long, stressful day for Sumisora, and on top of everything she’d been trying to accomplish, she had to carry the weight of the possibility that it was all for naught- that B-Project had already signed to a new company, that her position as their A&R was invalid, and that she could no longer gain strength from the friendships she had built with all of them.

She was moving forward even though the possibility that she was no longer needed was staring her straight in the face.

She scooted her desk chair closer to her desk, folded her arms on top, and bent forward to drop her forehead to her desk. No one else was there; it was past midnight. The trains had stopped running, so the best thing for her to do would be to sleep right where she was. It wouldn’t be the first time.  Tsubasa closed her eyes and just as she was beginning to drift off, she heard it.

Kodou Ambitious. On the acoustic guitar.

The person who was playing a song that once brought such happiness and brilliance into her life was taking it for himself, twisting it into something stale and dead, and staining it red. The sad strings of the acoustic guitar were just audible enough for Tsubasa to make out the melody. A few stories away, on the roof, the man who had said he hated her was waiting.

She wasn’t sure how she knew. It was how all sounds worked. They flew her to places beyond the laws that governed reality. This sound had stirred her awake, shaken her to her core, and carried her feet up the steps to the roof.

Now outside, she found the music’s source, and the man who was playing it was exactly who she’d thought.

“Yashamaru-san?” she whispered the question, her eyes wide in shock to see him now after all of this time.

He had once brought her confidence and warmth similar even to what she felt from B-Pro, but . . . she had been too naive, apparently. His true feelings for her were very different. The words he’d said on the phone only a day earlier still shook her.

 

_“I hate you and Gandara.”_

 

Hatred. It surrounded him and empowered him to levels she had not seen before. In front of her stood a demon. Even the resonating sound, deep and resentful, that came through in his voice now was something inhuman, “Ten years ago, your father killed my family.”

Tsubasa froze when she processed the words. How? How could it even be possible? She felt tears in her eyes as the words settled in her ears, dulling her senses and weakening her where she stood. “How?!” she managed to get out, “What are you talking about? My father-”

Was dead.

Was missing.

It depended on who you asked.

“Ahh, of course,” Yashamaru’s voice continued like liquid tar from his mouth, cooling and hardening as it overwhelmed her very being, “You don’t know anything. And your appearance rubs me the wrong way. So . . . let me tell you.”

She watched him smile and her eyes grew wider, her breath catching somewhere in throat as he went on.

“I created B-Pro only to make your father suffer. The spectacular audition and the Bambi Training School were just tools of my revenge,” he admitted easily. He was carrying the confidence of someone who had already won, but Tsubasa was left to understand what the battle was even over in the first place.

She struggled to put things together quickly, “Has all the trouble that’s happened thus far- the cancellation, the festival, the song-?”

“Yes, I planned it all,” he spoke maliciously as he stared down at her like a predator observing his prey.

Finally, something inside her snapped, “Why?! How could you?!” She could recall B-Project’s fond memories they’d shared around Yashamaru’s birthday, how hard they’d worked to celebrate his birthday, and how, almost daily, they would ask about him and his well-being. “Where are they?! All of the members of B-Pro- they- they believe in you! They love you!”

“Shut up!”

She felt her legs give way as the passion in his voice alone knocked her off her feet,

“You and Gandara! _Everything_ associated with _him_ and everything he is protecting will be _completely destroyed!_ ”

She watched in horror as he dropped the guitar to the ground and she covered her ears quickly at an attempt to protect herself from the harsh cries as it shattered and splintered and the strings split.

Tsubasa had only closed her eyes for a moment, but when she reopened them, she saw that he had effortlessly jumped from where he’d been and was now standing before her. There had been very few times in her life where she’d feared death, but now was one of them. “What have you done?” She felt weak facing him alone; if the others had been with her, then surely, she could with their strength, but now-. She asked again, “Where are they? Where have you taken them?!”

Yashamaru watched her, bored seemingly by her response. That same thick, dark voice that sounded entirely unfamiliar to her, came through, “The members of B-Pro have already agreed to the transfer. Naturally, they know they will have a new A&R as well. You are no longer needed. They’re through with you.”

“What?” Alone? She’d be alone again? Didn’t they need her?

Because, she desperately needed them.

Yashamaru watched as fear took hold of her, and he smiled. “B-Pro’s future will continue to shine even brighter. And you will suffer in the shadows cast by their light.”

“L-liar,” she replied weakly, now completely defeated by the demon Yashamaru had become or, perhaps, always been.

She fell inside her mind as he watched her. Things were over with them? It wasn’t possible. The whole last year, those ten men had been her _life_ , essentially, _everything_ she did-every day was planned around their schedules, being thoughtful of their needs, being present and attentive and prepared for anything they may ask of her. It couldn’t be over now! Not like that. Not like this.

Yashamaru would cherish her current look of despair for the months to come. “And when they burn with their brightest brilliance, I’ll snuff them out, and you will watch them fall without ever having done anything, because they’ve already moved on. They’ve already decided they don’t need Sumisora Tsubasa anymore. Because now, you are nothing to them.” He began to walk away, and Tsubasa couldn’t bring herself to speak another word. She wouldn’t move- not until she could no longer hear him- not until he was gone.

 

At some point in time, she had stood up and began walking. At first, she didn’t seem to have a destination- just _away_. She let another hour pass and, eventually, began to recognize a few of the stations she passed. She was now going southwest towards Koraku towards Tokyo Dome. Her body had not given up despite the fact that her heart and mind had been thoroughly beaten.

Tsubasa continually replayed the conversation in her head. It was too bizarre, too surreal. She wanted to believe it had been a nightmare but the echo of the guitar strings and the cold death of Yashamaru’s voice would not leave her.

Her appearance set him off? Her _appearance_? What did he mean by that? She more closely resembled her mother than her father. Did Yashamaru know her mother? Had she been caught up in all of this somehow as well? Had me meant something else by those words?

She couldn’t understand it. It was like putting a puzzle together and missing most of the pieces while having no hint on what the final image might be. She couldn’t even fully understand if she was the one to blame for all of this or her father was. If Yashamaru hated her father and any connection to him, then B-Project’s near _year_ worth of problems was all because of her and her connection to him?

No, not exactly. It couldn’t be.

 

_“I created B-Pro only to make your father suffer.”_

 

B-Project or each individual band? Or each member? She didn’t understand. If Yashamaru mentioned the audition and school that brought them together as Moons, Thrive, and Kitakore, then that meant he’d been specifically targeting them as well.

Years. Yashamaru had been planning all of this for years, but she didn’t understand why?

Her father killed his family?! He would never do that. She could remember her father. He was kind, thoughtful, and his very demeanor was unguarded and open. He loved music, and he loved her mother. He wouldn’t kill anyone! He wouldn’t!

None of this made sense unless he was tied to Gandara in some way. Even then, this all seemed like such a strange way to go about getting revenge against only one person.

There had to be more to it.

She tried calling each of the members of B-Project again, noticing now that it was already past four in the morning and the trains would begin running again shortly. When no one answered, she walked in to the nearest station. The Marunouchi would be there soon. She watched a television in the station claiming that Gandara was due to go under due to the cancellation of the live. She hadn’t realized. She’d been so focused on the ten men she worked with. The scheduling was part of her responsibilities, but not the numbers. B-Project was Gandara’s most successful act. Now that she was seeing the truth there on the television screen, the true hopelessness of the situation began to settle further.

This was what Yashamaru had wanted to accomplish? One man had orchestrated all of this? Revenge against Gandara, her father, and-?

 

_“Everything associated with him and everything he is protecting will be completely destroyed!”_

 

Something about her family . . . and everyone that was a member of B-Pro’s, too? It was all too intricate, had taken so long, was so thoughtfully planned . . .

When she reached Tokyo Dome, some of the early crew let her in. No one made comment of her appearance or state of dress though a few mumbled to each other that perhaps there would be no concert after all and the early news shows had been spot-on in saying that this was the end for Gandara Records.

Today was the rehearsal, but now, Tsubasa knew no one would be coming. She could feel herself shaking with fear as she remembered his voice only hours ago on the rooftop.

 

_“The members of B-Pro have already agreed to the transfer. You are no longer needed. They’re through with you.”_

 

All of Yashamaru’s actions over the last decade had been fueled by hatred and revenge alone. How could she possibly understand them? More importantly, how could she possibly win against him? It was impossible. If she couldn’t even contact them . . . if she couldn’t even speak to them . . . she was no use to them. What did she have left? What had the last year been for? What would she do now?

From a single seat in the audience, she stared down at the stage. She knew what she wanted to see, but she was childish to expect it.

“No one is here,” she heard herself whisper.

It was over. She had already lost. Gandara had lost.

She was alone. Sitting in the stadium that sat forty-two thousand people, she realized then that she had never felt more alone. This had been her dream just as much as it had been theirs; she’d worked just as hard to realize it, and now it was impossible.

She broke.

“I’m sorry,” tears filled her eyes, and she covered her mouth as her body went tense with unshed tears and sobs, “I failed-”

 

Suddenly, the stage lights before her flicked on. Her breath caught in her throat and she refused to breathe. She heard an explosion of air and the ten men that had been her entire world for the last year appeared suddenly before her, and so began the rehearsal as planned.

 

Once _Muteki Dangerous_ ended, Tsubasa ran for the stage, still crying, “Everyone, you’re here! What are you doing here?”

One by one, they came down from the stage to meet her halfway with Kitakado explaining first that they’d quit and Masunaga explaining from there that they’d decided not to sign with Highedge in the first place.

Tsubasa wiped at her tears, attempting desperately to stop crying even as they turned to tears of joy.

“It was the deal of our dreams, Tsubasa-chan,” Mikado said next.

“But it didn’t appeal to us, because we realized the cost,” Momotarou finished.

Tsubasa could barely take in what they were saying as she held in a mix of apologies and thank yous.

Aizome stepped closer to her, breaking all personal boundaries as he’d done when they’d first met nearly a year ago, “After all, _you_ weren’t a part of the deal, Tsubasa-san.”

Nome’s voice came to her ears as she shly dodged away from Aizome’s advances, “You are truly the best A&R we have ever had.”

She felt shocked by the comment.

“So you’ll have to keep being responsible for us,” Ryuuji smiled mischievously as he handed her a handkerchief for her to dry her eyes.

“You shared this dream with us,” Hikaru said next.

“And you were the one who kept believing in us,” Ashuu added.

“We were able to realize this together with you, and we want to see it through,” Goushi said with finality.

With that, she collapsed, Aizome catching her suddenly and leading her to a chair, “Tsubasa?”

“I’m so sorry, everyone. I’m so happy. Thank you. I-” her thoughts were mixed and poured from her mouth as a jumbled mess. She hadn’t eaten or slept and with everything that had happened, she was certain they were seeing her at her worst.

Still, their words gave her hope.

She wasn’t going to be alone, then. Gandara wouldn’t fall into bankruptcy. She could continue gaining strength from them. She could continue growing together with them.

“Cheer up, Tsubasa-chan! We’re here now!” Yuuta smiled, trying to stop her tears.

Hikaru was somewhere between concerned and amazed, “Ehh, I’ve never seen Tsubasa-chan cry before!”

“She’s a strong woman. She doesn’t cry near as much as you,” Nome teased.

“Whaaat!”

Even as the tears continued to fall, Tsubasa smiled through it and used Korekuni’s handkerchief to dry her eyes.

“Was it that bad without us?” Goushi inquired.

“You really thought we’d leave you?” Kazuna blinked, surprised. Perhaps she didn’t realize how much they needed her.

Mikado fretted slightly, “We’re so sorry! They took our cell phones, so we couldn’t contact you!”

“Tsubasa-san,” Ryuuji began, “have you been taking care of yourself?”

“You have nothing to worry about now, okay?” Tomohisa knelt beside her in true prince fashion, “The concert will go on as planned.”

Tsubasa nodded, overwhelmed but slowly finding the strength to calm down as the typical banter that surrounded her every day began between the members of B-Project.

 

Once the rehearsal was over, the band members met Tsubasa outside before leaving together in a van to return back to their apartments.

Kitakado stayed behind and was the last to leave. He knew that there were a lot of things left unsaid between the ten of them and Tsubasa, and he could only hope that she might trust him to share at least a few of those things, “Tsubasa-san, we decided this together, to return to Gandara. I hope you understand.”

She didn’t exactly, so all she said was, “I’m very grateful.”

Kitakado moved in front of her to demand her attention and locked her eyes in his, “Is there something else that’s bothering you?”

“Kitakado-san?” She felt nervous suddenly. His eyes were always so kind, and while she had gotten over, for the most part, the fact that she worked with the ten most attractive men in Tokyo, she still felt nervous when they showed her special consideration or attention, “No, no, no-no, nothing at all. Everything is fine now that all of you are back.”

“You’re sure? You can talk to us, you understand?” Kitakado tried again.

“Yes, of course. Sorry to worry you.” She added quickly with a nervous smile, “I was just stress crying. It’s a busy time of year.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, but she knew he would accept it, Tomohisa was a gentleman.

“Tsubasa-san, we appreciate you,” Tomohisa smiled.

“Eh?” she blinked, sure her face was taking on a shade of red.

Kitakado saw the change in her, but continued anyway, “You are always working so hard for us. What we said during rehearsal, we meant. This wouldn’t have happened; our dream would not have been realized if it wasn’t for you.”

She took a step back, “I was just doing my job-I-”

Kitakado took her left hand in his, “What you did was much more than that. You believed in us,” and he kissed it softly.

She pulled away quickly, blushing even more. She had seen him do something similar to Ryuuji when teasing him, but he had never done it to a fan.

His tone shifted slightly and his eyes narrowed in concern, “If there is anything we can do for you, please, talk to us.”

Her eyes went wide and she bowed suddenly, “Yes, thank you!” She bowed a second time, her ponytail falling forward over her face, “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Tomohisa smiled and waved as he entered the van and she waved back as she composed herself with a deep breath.

 

In the van, Aizome was first to speak, “You didn’t have to kiss her hand.”

Tomohisa, who was sitting between Momo and Kazuna, gave a gentle apology, “I just wanted her to relax. Sorry.”

Ryuuji sighed as he unwrapped a Chupa Chups, “That’s _not_ how to relax someone.”

“Well, I tried to tell her she could trust us,” Kitakado came to his own defense.

“She _is_ hiding something,” Momo said beside him.

“I don’t think it’s strange that she cried. It must have been really stressful not knowing if we’d show up or not,” Mikado said softly.

“She is trying to keep such a professional relationship with us.”

“Which makes sense . . .” Kazuna added.

Kento cut in, “Yes, but, she might be keeping us at a distance when she shouldn’t.”

Silence settled over the van. It was a large traveling van with tinted windows that had a separate space for the musicians and the driver. No one was here to hear them but each other.

In other words, it was a safe space to continue the discussion.

Goushi pointed it out first, “You’ve been saying things like that since _Barking Dogs_.”

“It’s true,” Yuuta quickly added.

Kento crossed his arms, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kaznua cut in, knowing that if it continued there would be yet another fight between Goushi and Kento, “More importantly, if we are all agreed that something is going on, we need to think of a strategy to somehow get to the bottom of it.”

“If Tomo couldn’t get her to speak about it, we might have to investigate it ourselves,” Korekuni offered.

“Where would we even begin?” Nome asked.

Hikaru attempted to help, “Well, it is something affecting Tsubasa-chan, right?” He followed his own rhetorical question, “So, we start with Tsubasa-chan! Her history!”

“You don’t think Yashamaru-san has anything to do with it, do you?” Goushi offered another direction.

Kitakado answered, “Possibly, but we can’t confirm that.”

“Let’s focus on tomorrow’s concert for now,” Kazuna requested.

“Agreed,” Kitakado replied firmly.

“After that, we’ll work together to take care of Tsubasa-chan like how she always takes care of us,” Hikaru smiled as he shared verbally the same sentiment they were all feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Tsubasa didn't seem too weak; I wanted to take the time to give the fans a real idea of what it meant for B-Pro to go to Highedge. Also, there will be a ton of headcanon moving on. In fact, it will be nearly nothing but, but ahhh- I just want to make sense of something I know nothing about so, well, please join me on this wild ride.
> 
> Questions, Comments, and Feedback would be much much appreciated!!


	4. Trust Issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, too, Juudals, for keeping the fandom alive! Thank you, everyone, for reading.  
> This is all silly speculation for fun~! None of this is accurate by any means.

 

The concert went on as planned. Once over, Tsubasa immediately began tying loose ends to ensure that everyone could go home on time. An hour later, the band was ready to leave, but instead of going home, they waited for Tsubasa to finish as well. 

“How much longer do you think Tsubasa-chan will be?” Hikaru fiddled with the braid in his hair as he waited, leaning against the railing for the sidewalk outside the building.

“Not much, surely,” Kazuna sighed.

“She gets here before us and stays after, too,” Momotarou observed aloud.

“It’s part of her job,” Goushi reminded him. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for an A&R.

Kazuna shrugged, “This was our first concert like this anyway.”

“It feels like a dream,” Nome smiled.

“It really does,” Ken agreed.

Kitakado chuckled, “It was, for a while, for all of us, so that only makes sense.”

It was just after eleven when they met her on her way out. They were lucky that the fans had politely cleared much earlier which left them a bit of ease in exiting the premise. 

Tsubasa stopped at the gate steps outside the door to the back stage, her eyes wide, “Everyone, you haven’t left yet?”

Hikaru smiled brilliantly, “We were waiting for you, Tsubasa-chan.”

Tsubasa straightened, immediately flustered despite her exhaustion, “For me? Eh? Why?” No, she didn’t really need to make the conversation about herself “You should be out celebrating!”

“Who better to do so with?” Kento offered.

“Come home with us,” Ashuu, rather playfully, went to take her hands to lead her away from the building to join them.

She was immediately blushing, “W-What?”

Nome offered a quiet explanation, “Countdown party . . . and I don’t mean sit-ups.”

She looked back at him as they all began to move together following Ashuu’s lead, “Oh, you mean for the New Year?”

“We have a lot of space.” Goushi made it a practical choice first before adding a beat later, “Come to our place and we’ll watch kohaku and have a countdown or something.”

“Everyone . . . I-” when she stopped walking, Ashuu respectfully let go of her hands.

There was a brief silence as they all watched her, very aware that they probably shouldn’t have surrounded her but also concerned from her hesitation. It wouldn’t be the first time, by any means, that they had all been alone together with her.

“Unless, sorry, you might have somewhere else to be?” Aizome’s words began to trail off.

Mikado, with equal dejection, added quietly, “Yeah, we didn’t think you might be with family or something.”

“Did you already have plans?” Aizome asked.

Tsubasa shook her head, “N-no, no,  . . . it isn’t that.”

“Why can’t you come then?” Ryuuji frowned, not understanding the problem.

“It’s not that I can’t I-” Tsubasa was quiet a moment. She didn’t know how to respond to their generosity. They were a band together; she really wasn’t one of them. Still, it was very thoughtful of them to think of her, “. . . I guess I’m just a little surprised.” It was the night of the their first big live together, so she imagined that they’d want something exclusive with each other. She also assumed they’d be too tired to have a party, but it was New Year’s so-

Tomohisa stepped forward and, dripping in his natural, princely charm, said gently, “We’ve known you nearly a year now, Tsubasa-chan. You’re our very special A&R and we want to see you smile.”

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Momotarou said gently, “Of course we want you there.”

“You have to celebrate with us!” Ashuu added, grabbing her hands again.

“Yes!” She nearly jumped from his sudden enthusiasm, “Okay, thank you!”

The trip home was pleasant, because they were able to get a limo to escort them home. They typically just used their van, so it was a treat for all of them to ride in such luxury. In those thirty minutes, they all shared a bit more about how they’d felt about the concert and asked about Sumisora’s take on it as well.

“The fan club is really excited about ‘Muteki Dangerous’. They’re asking when it releases.”

Goushi blinked, “And you, Tsubasa-san?”

Ken had noticed it to, that Tsubasa had completely dodged the question in sharing her own reflection on the concert.

“Oh, ah-” she received Goushi’s stern attitude with her typical grace, “I-um- I’m really glad there were no problems! Everything went well.”

A few of the members exchanged looks. Her answer had cemented for them that they had to get more out of her. Something was still very wrong, and if it affected their A&R, it potentially affected their careers. 

  
  
  


When they finally got home, it turned out that the members of B-Project had actually planned it to be  somewhat of a drinking party. Tsubasa wasn’t nervous exactly. She wasn’t so uptight that she’d scold the younger members for being under age. It was only by a few months, anyway, and it was only once a year. Goushi had put on kohaku on Thrive’s big screen and soon enough everyone was making bets on idols and comparing and critiquing their performances.

“They’re following Utada Hikaru with AKB48?” Kazuna appeared nearly offended.

“There are so many good bands this year, though,” Goushi observed beside him.

Ryuuji, with a light shade of pink on his skin, settled between Kitakado and Yuuta. He observed knowingly, “I think the red team will win.”

“It’s because SMAP backed out,” Mikado whined.

“SMAP? You’re a nerd, Mika,” Kento teased.

“They’re legends,” Mikado shot back.

Kazuna offered lightly, “Bump of Chicken declined, too.”

“I think you’re right, Ryuuji-kun,” Tomohisa put his free hand on top of the other’s head and pet him slowly with his eye on the other’s drink. He was watching to make sure Ryuuji didn’t overdo anything- not that he would. Tomohisa couldn’t help but be cautious. He had only seen Ryuuji tipsy but nothing more; he didn’t plan on finding out what ‘more’ was like with all of the others around.

Ryuuji grinned and looked back up at him as Tomohisa removed his hand, “I’m always right.”

“Of course,” the white haired idol agreed with a smile.

Tsubasa had been sipping at her own drink as her eyes darted from the men back to the TV screen that was now displaying 48 singing and dancing girls when she felt a hand on top of hers. She turned her head suddenly to meet Kento’s eyes and he removed his hand immediately.

“Oh, sorry, Tsubasa.”

Tsubasa smiled and shook her head as though it were nothing, but, inwardly, she felt suspicion rise up. Aizome had consumed a couple of drinks already, but outwardly, he didn’t appear too affected by it. He had sat down beside her. Maybe he’d wanted it to look like an accident after she hadn’t responded well or maybe not. She thought the world of all of them, including Aizome, but his flirtatious behavior  _ sometimes _ made her nervous. When she’d seen the part of her own contract in which it had stated she couldn’t date any of the idols, she’d thought it silly to even mention, but she had never thought back then that she would become so attached to all of them.

When kohaku finished and the red team had won, they convinced Tsubasa to stay for some games. She wouldn’t even have to go home, technically. There was one extra bedroom in the Thrive apartment, and She actually had her pick with there being even another option downstairs in the Kitakore apartment, too. It was enough to convince her that she had no reason to hurry home. If they were all enjoying her company, she wouldn’t deprive them necessarily. Besides, it was rare that she had a moment to relax as she was doing so then. It made the next game all that much more a surprise.

Kazuna began, “Okay, for this game, we have to choose one person to be ‘it’.”

They all turned to look at Tsubasa.

“Eh? Me?” She blushed suddenly, the alcohol giving her enough courage to tease, “This had better not be some kind of kissing game.”

Goushi snorted, “One woman and ten men? No thank you.”

Ashuu laughed, “No, no, Tsubasa-chan. It isn’t like that.”

Kento began to explain, “It’s called ‘Yes or No’. Everyone gives statements about the person who is ‘it’. If the statement is true, the person who is ‘it’ drinks. If the statement is false, then the other person is out.”

Tsubasa wasn’t sure she actually wanted to agree to this, “And when is the game over?”

“The person who is ‘it’ wins when everyone is ‘out’. Or, the others win when they outlast the person who is ‘it’,” Kento explained.

“I’m not sure I want to go first . . .” Tsubasa’s words were honest, but she had trailed off. With all of them wanting her to go first, it was a bit difficult to argue against it.

“It’s for fun! Don’t worry so much!” Ashuu encouraged, but, after a look from Goushi, wondered if he was doing too much.

Hikaru decided to pick up from there, “It’ll be easy, Tsubasa-chan. Here, I’ll go first!” He turned to her, face red and clearly more intoxicated than anyone else, “When you were a kid, you had a pet cat!”

“False?” she responded, blinking.

“I’m out already?!” Hikaru pouted.

Ryuuji smiled mischievously, “That means you have to finish your whole drink.”

“What? That wasn’t part of the rules!” Hikaru’s jaw dropped in dismay.

Ryuuji sat up on his knees, grinning, “It is now.” He began clapping his hands in a chant, “Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!”

Ashuu joined in, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”

The others cheered on, minus Tsubasa who only appeared slightly nervous and concerned through her half-smile. In only a few seconds, Hikaru set his can down and belched.

Kazuna sighed, “Hikaru, manners.”

“Hahaha, sorry, sorry!” he laughed back as the others teased him.

Tsubasa continued to smile nervously. 

“You grew up in Tokyo.” Nome, who was sitting on Hikaru’s left, brought everyone back to the game.

Tsubasa nodded and took a small sip of her drink.

“You are an only child!” Ryuuji yelled suddenly before Ashuu could go next.

“Hey!”

She took a drink.

Ashuu went next, “You came from a very loving home.”

Tsubasa hesitated, considering the question, and then, slowly, she took another drink.

The hesitation did not go unnoticed by Ashuu who immediately questioned it. “What was that? You hesitated, Tsubasa-chan.” He was more concerned than nosy, but it didn’t help to keep her from feeling targeted.

Gathering as much liquid courage as she could, she quietly offered, “ . . . I’m not sure if this is the best way to get to know me.”

For a short moment, the men were quiet, all of them clearly thinking the same thing: they may have gone too far with this little game of theirs.

Goushi was the first to speak up wearing somewhat of a scowl, “Would you have just answered us if we asked?” He was openly admitting to her that that was part of it, but he was the kind of person who felt it was best to be honest with someone. 

Tsubasa admitted timidly, “Probably . . . probably not.”

“Then-”

“But maybe,” her smile fell, “Maybe that only proves I may not be answering honestly now.”

Ashuu laughed sheepishly as the atmosphere began to get heavier and heavier, “I’m out, aren’t I?”

“Tsubasa-san, should we stop?” It was Momotarou who had asked. His feminine features wrote concern across his face, but she ignored the question entirely.

“What’s the next question?” she looked at Tomohisa. She wasn’t quite sure what to think. On one hand, it was nice that they wanted to know more about her and were concerned about her in some way, but on the other, it made her realize how closed off she was to others. They felt that they had to play this game in order for her to share anything about herself. It made her feel embarrassed slightly and a bit guilty as well. 

“You got good marks in school,” he said politely.

She took another sip of her drink, “Usually.”

Kazuna was next, “Your father was a musician.”

“You already know that, don’t you?” she blinked. Now that she realized what the purpose of the game was, she felt herself go back and forth between being defensive and forcing herself to be more open.  

Kazuna shook his head and gave a gentle smile, a little nervous that the game was still going on, “That’s not true. You’ve said that he listened to music, not that he played it.”

She took a drink, this one longer than any of the others prior. Masunaga was playing attention that closely?

Goushi shrugged, “Your mother was, too.”

Tsubasa smiled, “She wasn’t.”

Goushi’s drink was nearly full, but as soon as the chanting from the others began, he waved them off and swallowed down its entirety. 

Mikado jumped ahead in front of Momo when he didn’t say anything right away, “You grew up in a relatively normal household- mother and father and all that- maybe a pet dog if not a pet cat?”

She shook her head again.

“Ah, I’m out!” Mikado finished his drink quickly. Surprisingly, he seemed to be better at holding his liquor than anyone else so far.

“You were raised by a relative,” Momo nearly whispered. He didn’t seem to agree any longer with the game, but he took solace in the fact that they were being eliminated rather quickly.

Tsubasa took another sip. She still had half of her drink left to go.

“What? Really? Tsubasa-san? What happened?” Ashuu, appearing genuinely concerned, was gone enough to ask the question without second-guessing himself.

Tsubasa recognized that it was purely because he cared, so she offered more information about her past, “After I turned thirteen, I went to live with my Aunt. I moved out at seventeen.”

Before she could say anything else, Aizome, who was right beside her, went next, “Growing up, you tried to fit in with others, but you mostly kept to yourself.” He understood that feeling, and, on the movie set, he was sure she understood him then.

She took another sip of her drink.

“You always found comfort in music, though, and it became your best friend.” Nome tried.

She took a sip.

There was a long silence. 

“Aside from music, you have no one you consider a best friend.” Ryuuji’s words were uncharacteristically dark, which immediately brought concern to Tomohisa, who began looking him over with his eyes  to see if something was amiss.

She took a sip.

Tomohisa held back the need to touch Ryuuji. He had to be careful. There was only so much he could do without causing suspicion about just how intimate their relationship was. He tried not to focus on him, but his eyes only flit away to catch Tsubasa’s briefly before falling to Ryuuji’s image once more, “You have trouble forming lasting relationships with others.”

She took another sip.

The game had taken a very dark turn, so Kazuna stuttered nervously, “A-After high school, you went to college to study music.”

“Out,” Tsubasa said with a smile. She could see that the others were beginning to worry, so she tried to act like she was having fun again.

Without a word, Kazuna quickly drank down his own drink as if ready to punish himself. 

Momo was next, “After high school, you found a job?”

Tsubasa smiled again, “Out.”

“Ahh, Really?” Hikaru asked, confused as Momotarou easily finished his drink.

Tsubasa clarified for him, “I was working during high school and during my first year of college.”

“You just said-”

She smiled and chuckled lightly, “I wasn’t studying music.”

Nome, hoping this would end because it no longer felt like the best method to learn about what had happened, tried something specific, “You were an undecided major.”

“No. I was studying social work,” she answered.

“Social work?” Momo appeared interested in learning more.

“Yes.”

Mika asked next, “What did you want to do?”

Tsubasa shrugged and her eyes fell to the contents of her class in an effort to avoid the others, “I wasn’t sure. I just wanted to . . . help people, I guess?”

Kento felt deeply invested in this. Clearly apart from most of the others, he saw nothing wrong with their methods any longer, because they were learning more about Tsubasa in one night than they had in the near year they had known her.  He tried next, “You never graduated.”

Tsubasa nodded, clearly embarrassed, and took a drink.

Hikaru took a turn, “You fell into financial trouble?”

Tsubasa smiled, the drink beginning to have more of an effect on her. She placed a hand on his shoulder since he was sitting on her left and spoke to him as though telling a child, “You’re already out.”

Hikaru laughed suddenly, blushing a little, “Right, right, I’m just into it!”

Ryuuji, who was still playing, went next, “You had your heart broken?”

“Out.”

Ryuuji’s drink was nearly full.

“Ryuuji-you-” Tomohisa was about to say he didn’t have to drink it, but Ryuuji read his mind and interrupted.

“Tomo-kun, I have to follow the rules just like everyone else.” He winked and downed the rest of his drink and set it on the coffee table in front of them. As if overcompensating, he sat a little straighter on the floor to show just how unaffected he was. 

To Tomohisa, it was cute, because Ryuuji was now clearly past the point of no return but he was trying very hard not to show it. He was showing his age for once. Most adults used alcohol as a means of enjoying themselves and that was seen as separate from their professional lives, but Ryuuji couldn’t seem to separate the two. 

“Tsubasa-san, you- . . . . . you don’t have to keep going.” The red-haired Moons member caught his words in time. He’d almost, quite candidly, pointed out how lonely she had appeared to be, but kept himself from embarrassing her further. He was actually someone who became much more talkative the more alcohol he consumed.

Aizome didn’t let her respond, “You wish you had more people to talk to and confide in.”

“Out.” Tsubasa looked at him with less affection than she had Hikaru. It was clear to her now, especially with how invested he was in playing, that he was interested in her as more than just an A&R. 

Tomohisa was the last person still in play. He took a deep breath and began the final round, “You are happy knowing us and being with B-Pro, so you focus on your work only and nothing else.”

Tsubasa took a sip. Her eyes met Kitakado’s and he held them there.

Tomohisa continued the guessing game, “You haven’t dated much if at all.”

She took a sip by bringing the glass to her mouth, her eyes never leaving his.

“You aren’t close to anyone in your family or, again, have any close friends,” he tried next. He had observed as much. Even on holidays, she offered to be available for them.

She drank another drink, her face now serious.

“Sometimes, you feel like we are all you have.”

Ryuuji pulled on his bandmate’s sleeve to pull his attention away from Tsubasa. He believed Tomo was going too far.

When she took another sip, still not looking away from Kitakado, he continued,“ . . . And that you could lose us at any moment.”

She felt her nose itch and tried not to think about what had happened the night before. It was true. What Kitakado was saying was true. She was terrified of losing them, and after Yashamaru had threatened her and B-Project, she was scared anything could happen at any moment. He had revealed to her that he was a man willing to risk anything to hurt them; she couldn’t forget that.

Kazuna sat up suddenly, seeing what was happening, “Tsubasa-”

Momo, forgetting the normal formalities he used, called out to her, “Tsubasa-chan.”

Mikado put a hand on his band member’s shoulder to quiet Momo as he watched Kitakado cautiously. They all trusted B-Project’s leader, but they all shared concern over Tsubasa as well.

Tomohisa felt the others watching him, but he pressed on, “You wish that we could be together always so that you’d never again feel alone.”

She set her glass on the table with her nearly finished plum wine left inside. She shook her head. He was wrong, he was out, and she was done. When she closed her eyes, tears fell, so she bowed her head forward to hide them. For a moment, no one moved or spoke, but when she began shaking from holding back sobs, Aizome reached for her suddenly. He pulled her into an embrace and held her tucked beneath his chin and against his chest. 

Tsubasa didn’t struggle to move away. She was relieved only in the fact that no one could see her crying so long as he held her.

Kento could feel his heart beat faster as he held her close, but he kept himself together and said firmly, “I-We . . . we will always be here for you, Tsubasa.”

She nodded but didn’t move away, and as soon as she calmed down, she fell asleep on the couch leaving the members of B-Project to piece together what they could from what they’d learned which, in truth, still wasn’t  _ enough _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it wasn't too OOC. Tomo-kun wasn't trying to be harsh, but maybe it came out that way? T-T I am trying to portray Tsubasa as someone who is strong because she has been pretending to be for a long time. She doesn't recognize that even pretending is an act of strength. Or . . . something like that . . .
> 
> This story is going to be pretty dark, so, here is a warning~


End file.
